Vocal Percussion, or, why I still love hopesfall's "the satellite years"
I keep meaning to write my "personal musical history" but keep getting sidetracked going through my old music. I guess at some point i'll write a comprehensive, chronological account of the evolution of my taste, but for now, expect a shitload of record reviews that should have happened in or around the year 2000.
Hopesfall was one of my favorite bands in high school. I got to see them a few times (hellfest, and at "Krome", my old New Jersey stomping grounds, literally, stomping, look at this video)
not having this outlet anymore (yes i used to "dance" like this) probably explains my unquenchable aggression and general hostility to most things. i guess i was a pretty angry kid, but i never really got into fist fights, i ran track and did this shit; pretty much eliminating my aggression and making me a pretty nice guy overall (if you can believe that).
enough about me.
so i'm going back through all of the music i used to listen to in no particular order so i can make this list. i landed on my "mosh" phase first. i can't believe i'm about to actually do this:
the term "mosh" means many different things to many different audiences. typically when one thinks "mosh pit" they think of this:
which is fucking stupid; basically just a bunch of morons trying to get oxygen and turning it into a masculine pushing shoving session.
when i thought of mosh, i thought of this:
okay, so there's no way i was actually going to dissect the act of moshing, and i'm glad we're now on the same page here.
in all seriousness, this record is incredible. if you open your mind a little bit and try to hear the vocals as percussion, instead of the focal point of the song, you may actually enjoy this.
most people still listen to music for the lyrics, if there's a "catchy" melody, lick, hook, or beat behind the music then they're bopping their head, but (i for a long while) most people i feel are highly concerned with lyrical content.
some will make the argument "no, esh, you're an idiot, i just don't want to be screamed at" in which case, fine, it's really your loss anyway.
without further ado, i present to you Hopesfall's record "The Satellite Years", still one of my favorite records (released 2002)
i really want you to listen to at least the first couple of tracks with an open mind, if you shut it off the second the screaming happens, you haven't given it a shot; if so, fine...but i really would like to hear some thoughts on this one. (and if you're absolutely opposed to the entire concept of screaming-as-vocals, listen to "Decoys Like Curves" and "Escape Pod for Intangibles" scream free)
Remember to "launch external player" bottom left or you'll just get 30 second clips, no funswick.
PS - this was absolutely their last good record, 2004's A-types is totally unlistenable and 2007's magnetic north actually sounds like a bad version of a Killers record; so, so, totally disappointed.
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Posted by holly on March 01, 2008 at 11:47 AM MST #
Posted by Tom on March 01, 2008 at 12:49 PM MST #
Posted by Michael on March 15, 2008 at 11:36 AM MDT #